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The Nelsonite vol. 20, no. 4

Page 5

Upadnadt et hoen Nthaeti olns ts ACmolelengdimateen t Student Press
by C.E.Salisbury
January was Freedom of the College Press
Month. William Makepeace Thackeray in 1860
penned the following phrases on finding the dragon
of Censorship alive and thriving in Victorian
England.
"Ah, ye knights of the pen!
hay honor be your shield
and truth tip your lances!
Be gentle to all gentle peoples.
Be modest to women.
Be tender to children.
As for Ogre Humbug,
out sword and have at htm!"
Freedom of the press for college journalists is
far from safe. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's
findings In the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case it has
become clear that in some colleges and universities
student pulbications have had to struggle against the
threat of censorship. While the Court made it clear
("We need not now decide whether the same degree
of deference is appropriate with respect to school
sponsored activities at the college and university
level") that this decision was not to apply to
colleges», there is reason to fear that some
tyrannical administrators will use this case as an
excuse to crack the whip of censorship, or so says
Kflatring Free Presses Free- Keeping Free
Presses Free Is a publication issued annually by
College Media Advisers. Inc. The following is a brief
summary of the Information in this year's issue.
In the lead article "Attempts at censorship
increasing since Hazelwood," the Student Press Law
Center is reported to have received over 350 calls
from student Journalists complaining about censor-ship.
When he was outraged by the suspension of
two fellow student editors for the University of Los
Angeles for printing a controversial cartoon,
student editor of California State University at
Northridge's Daily Sundial. James Taranto
reprinted the UCLA cartoon and wrote an article
criticizing the incident. Taranto then experienced
the fate of suspension himself. He Was charged
with failing to notify the Sundial's faculty advisor
about the article prior to publication.
Taranto has filed suit in the California Superior
Court. The suit charges that the suspension violated
his rights under the First Amendment and
California's state constitution, and asks for $93 in
stipend which he lost during the suspension.
Included in the suit are other unspecified damages.
But what of THE CARTOON? The controversial
piece of work was reportedly one installment of
strip known as the "UC Rooster." Because the
cartoon made -references to minority admission
policies under* affirmative action, there were a
number of complaints from different minority
groups on the UCLA carpffius and this led to the
suspension of the UCLA editors.
Taranto's suspension on the other hand was
justified by the head of Northridge's journalism
department on the grounds that the faculty advisor
was never given an opportunity to view the work
prior to publication.
The basis of this case Is whether all First
Amendment rights rest with the publisher or
whether the reporters and the editors retain
control of the product.
This case brings out just one of the many
areas where, disagreements arise for student
journalists. Prior approval is a bone of contention
for every serious Journalist, but it is a fact of life.
If an article Is brought for discussion prior to
publication, extreme measures may be taken to
persuade an editor to omit the article. While
strongarmed administrators are careful not to
document any threats, the pressure of the situation
can severely limit the student editor's perception of
freedom of the press. In the college hierarchy
there is always room for administrative retaliation
against an editor who tries to practice his or her
freedoms too liberally for the taste of the
powers-that-be. It should be noted that the content
of the article was not cited as a reason for the
suspension. If the content was objectionable, then it
would seem reasonable that the charges would be
for libel. If the content of the article was not
objectionable, then the question is—why was there
a suspension?
Another case cited in the same article involves a
suit on the grounds of discrimination. A minority
alliance which exists as a university recognized
organization claims that the issue rests on the
denial of"Competent institutional support for a duly
recognized student organization. Equal access and
equality of service was the issue. If the
organization was the sponsor and publisher of the
magazine then the responsibility for the content of
the publication did not rest with the university. The
university's decision to censor the magazine de
facto was a violation of.the students' rights. It is a
standard practice for all student publications to
carry a disclaimer which states that the college or
university, its board of directors, governing bodies,
and almost everyone else in the world is not
responsible for what appears in the publication.
Authors and editors must accept the responsibility
for their work. The university had no grounds for
denying, or delaying the publication. The publication
was for the Lesbian Alliance.
These cases show that across the country
student journalists are still continuing the struggle
for access to information on campuses and in local
communities.
One of the most prominent cases is at Ball
State University where Daily News reporter
Diane Goudy's two-year struggle ended in a
dismissed case. Ms. Goudy contended that Ball
State violated Indiana's Open Door law by closing the
meetings of the University's Calendar Transition
Committee in December of 1986. Part of the
information that the students were seeking -was a
list of applicants for various administrative posts.
The judge in the case declared the case moot in
the fall of 1988 because the Calendar Committee
had been disbanded. No ruling was made on the
substance of the case.
The delays in this case were increased by the
students' inability,to fund their legal position. By
the time the Indiana Civil Liberties Union came to
their aid the university's committee had already
disbanded. The slow court system can stimy a
college based case. By the time a case is resolved
the students involved are no longer students.
Access to information Was the subject
of a new Pennsylvania law which mandates
that colleges and universities reveal
information about crime on their campuses
to students, prospective students and
employees. As a result, student
journalists will be able to obtain a
compilation of on-campus crime statistics
for the most recent three-year period as
well as information on security procedures
and policies.
The threat of subpoenas to reveal
sources and information is still a concern
for campus reporters. The case of
confidentiality for informants is still on
shaky ground for studerà journalists,
There are also some reports of campus
security officers searching through the
files of student newspapers during
non-office hours. Such searches may
constitute legal search violations.
Cases such as these make it clear that
Freedom of the Student Press is not to
be taken for granted. Any freedom is
secure only as far as any of us are willing
to go to assure its existence.
Campaign I Campaign I
Campaign I
Of fie« of Development
tad tli«
College Support Staff
want your help.
Participate in the
Farm Fresh Community
Gift Program.
Save those Gold Cash Register
Receipts.
Bring them to Virginia
Foster in Room 200
m
Mary Moltere in Room 251.
We need your support I
i p H B B B B B B n B B B B n B B B B B B B
Our thanks to those
who have expressed
their support for us in
the last year
and to those who
V
have fallen
in love
with
Miss Cathryn Amber
Salisbury-Valerien,
Born 12/13/ft*.
CftytM maA Grandma
UdttoMVMM.

Upadnadt et hoen Nthaeti olns ts ACmolelengdimateen t Student Press
by C.E.Salisbury
January was Freedom of the College Press
Month. William Makepeace Thackeray in 1860
penned the following phrases on finding the dragon
of Censorship alive and thriving in Victorian
England.
"Ah, ye knights of the pen!
hay honor be your shield
and truth tip your lances!
Be gentle to all gentle peoples.
Be modest to women.
Be tender to children.
As for Ogre Humbug,
out sword and have at htm!"
Freedom of the press for college journalists is
far from safe. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's
findings In the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case it has
become clear that in some colleges and universities
student pulbications have had to struggle against the
threat of censorship. While the Court made it clear
("We need not now decide whether the same degree
of deference is appropriate with respect to school
sponsored activities at the college and university
level") that this decision was not to apply to
colleges», there is reason to fear that some
tyrannical administrators will use this case as an
excuse to crack the whip of censorship, or so says
Kflatring Free Presses Free- Keeping Free
Presses Free Is a publication issued annually by
College Media Advisers. Inc. The following is a brief
summary of the Information in this year's issue.
In the lead article "Attempts at censorship
increasing since Hazelwood," the Student Press Law
Center is reported to have received over 350 calls
from student Journalists complaining about censor-ship.
When he was outraged by the suspension of
two fellow student editors for the University of Los
Angeles for printing a controversial cartoon,
student editor of California State University at
Northridge's Daily Sundial. James Taranto
reprinted the UCLA cartoon and wrote an article
criticizing the incident. Taranto then experienced
the fate of suspension himself. He Was charged
with failing to notify the Sundial's faculty advisor
about the article prior to publication.
Taranto has filed suit in the California Superior
Court. The suit charges that the suspension violated
his rights under the First Amendment and
California's state constitution, and asks for $93 in
stipend which he lost during the suspension.
Included in the suit are other unspecified damages.
But what of THE CARTOON? The controversial
piece of work was reportedly one installment of
strip known as the "UC Rooster." Because the
cartoon made -references to minority admission
policies under* affirmative action, there were a
number of complaints from different minority
groups on the UCLA carpffius and this led to the
suspension of the UCLA editors.
Taranto's suspension on the other hand was
justified by the head of Northridge's journalism
department on the grounds that the faculty advisor
was never given an opportunity to view the work
prior to publication.
The basis of this case Is whether all First
Amendment rights rest with the publisher or
whether the reporters and the editors retain
control of the product.
This case brings out just one of the many
areas where, disagreements arise for student
journalists. Prior approval is a bone of contention
for every serious Journalist, but it is a fact of life.
If an article Is brought for discussion prior to
publication, extreme measures may be taken to
persuade an editor to omit the article. While
strongarmed administrators are careful not to
document any threats, the pressure of the situation
can severely limit the student editor's perception of
freedom of the press. In the college hierarchy
there is always room for administrative retaliation
against an editor who tries to practice his or her
freedoms too liberally for the taste of the
powers-that-be. It should be noted that the content
of the article was not cited as a reason for the
suspension. If the content was objectionable, then it
would seem reasonable that the charges would be
for libel. If the content of the article was not
objectionable, then the question is—why was there
a suspension?
Another case cited in the same article involves a
suit on the grounds of discrimination. A minority
alliance which exists as a university recognized
organization claims that the issue rests on the
denial of"Competent institutional support for a duly
recognized student organization. Equal access and
equality of service was the issue. If the
organization was the sponsor and publisher of the
magazine then the responsibility for the content of
the publication did not rest with the university. The
university's decision to censor the magazine de
facto was a violation of.the students' rights. It is a
standard practice for all student publications to
carry a disclaimer which states that the college or
university, its board of directors, governing bodies,
and almost everyone else in the world is not
responsible for what appears in the publication.
Authors and editors must accept the responsibility
for their work. The university had no grounds for
denying, or delaying the publication. The publication
was for the Lesbian Alliance.
These cases show that across the country
student journalists are still continuing the struggle
for access to information on campuses and in local
communities.
One of the most prominent cases is at Ball
State University where Daily News reporter
Diane Goudy's two-year struggle ended in a
dismissed case. Ms. Goudy contended that Ball
State violated Indiana's Open Door law by closing the
meetings of the University's Calendar Transition
Committee in December of 1986. Part of the
information that the students were seeking -was a
list of applicants for various administrative posts.
The judge in the case declared the case moot in
the fall of 1988 because the Calendar Committee
had been disbanded. No ruling was made on the
substance of the case.
The delays in this case were increased by the
students' inability,to fund their legal position. By
the time the Indiana Civil Liberties Union came to
their aid the university's committee had already
disbanded. The slow court system can stimy a
college based case. By the time a case is resolved
the students involved are no longer students.
Access to information Was the subject
of a new Pennsylvania law which mandates
that colleges and universities reveal
information about crime on their campuses
to students, prospective students and
employees. As a result, student
journalists will be able to obtain a
compilation of on-campus crime statistics
for the most recent three-year period as
well as information on security procedures
and policies.
The threat of subpoenas to reveal
sources and information is still a concern
for campus reporters. The case of
confidentiality for informants is still on
shaky ground for studerà journalists,
There are also some reports of campus
security officers searching through the
files of student newspapers during
non-office hours. Such searches may
constitute legal search violations.
Cases such as these make it clear that
Freedom of the Student Press is not to
be taken for granted. Any freedom is
secure only as far as any of us are willing
to go to assure its existence.
Campaign I Campaign I
Campaign I
Of fie« of Development
tad tli«
College Support Staff
want your help.
Participate in the
Farm Fresh Community
Gift Program.
Save those Gold Cash Register
Receipts.
Bring them to Virginia
Foster in Room 200
m
Mary Moltere in Room 251.
We need your support I
i p H B B B B B B n B B B B n B B B B B B B
Our thanks to those
who have expressed
their support for us in
the last year
and to those who
V
have fallen
in love
with
Miss Cathryn Amber
Salisbury-Valerien,
Born 12/13/ft*.
CftytM maA Grandma
UdttoMVMM.